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Former Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slams Air India over broken seat allotted to Shivraj Chauhan, says Tata’s takeover has reduced competition leading to complacency

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Former Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slams Air India over broken seat allotted to Shivraj Chauhan, says Tata’s takeover has reduced competition leading to complacency

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday raised concerns over Air India’s service quality after its takeover by the Tata Group, warning that reduced competition in full-service airlines could lead to complacency. His remarks came after Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan faced discomfort due to a broken seat on an Air India flight.

In a post on X, Chandrasekhar said, “If it was anyone else other than the polite, gentleman minister @ChouhanShivraj ji, person would have created a justified angry response to this kind of incident.”

He further criticized the impact of Tata’s control over Air India, saying, “Tata’s takeover of @airindia has created a situation of reducing competition and consumer choice in full-service airlines – which leads to complacency and ‘chalta hai!'”

Chandrasekhar then urged the Tata Group to take immediate action, warning that if the company failed to act, the government and regulators might have to intervene.

“Suggest @TataCompanies address this warpspeed – else regulator/Govt will need to start looking at consumer interest as a regulatory outcome in addition to safety,” he added.

Earlier today, Chouhan was allotted a broken seat that had ‘sunk in’, prompting him to raise concerns about Air India’s services on X.

Sharing his experience, he wrote, “Today I had to come from Bhopal to Delhi, inaugurate the Kisan Mela in Pusa, hold a meeting of the Natural Farming Mission in Kurukshetra, and discuss with the representatives of the Kisan Organisation in Chandigarh. I had booked a ticket on Air India flight number AI436, I was allotted seat number 8C. I went and sat on the seat, the seat was broken and sunken in. It was uncomfortable to sit.”

He also questioned Air India’s management, saying, “When I asked the airline staff why the seat was allotted to me if it was bad, they told me that the management had been informed earlier that this seat was not good and its ticket should not be sold. There is not just one seat but many more.”

Chouhan expressed further disappointment with Air India’s service after Tata took over,and wrote, “My impression was that Air India’s service would have improved after Tata took over the management, but it turned out to be my misconception. I don’t care about sitting discomfort, but it is unethical to make passengers sit on bad and uncomfortable seats after charging them the full amount. Isn’t this cheating the passengers?”

He urged corrective action, saying, “Will the Air India management take steps to ensure that no passenger faces such inconvenience in future, or will it continue to take advantage of the passengers’ compulsion to reach their destination early?”

In response, Air India apologised on X, and said, “Dear Sir, we apologise for the inconvenience caused. Please be rest assured that we are looking into this matter carefully to prevent any such occurrences in the future. We would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, ‘kindly DM us a convenient time to connect’.”

Meanwhile, the Congress party took a dig at the government over issues in the aviation and railway sectors.

In a post on X, Congress said, “Passengers are troubled in trains, passengers are distressed on planes. People keep complaining and keep making videos, but there is no hearing. Now, since Shivraj ji has a problem, he is tweeting–maybe action will be taken on this.”

Targeting the Modi government, Congress added, “But the situation is not going to improve, because any system is fixed from the top. And on top of that, there is no time to beat the drum of ‘sab changa si’. People suffer.”

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Lucknow: Inquiry into student’s suicide reveals that school manager Arshad Khan was running Madrasa inside premises of CBSE school, foreign funding suspected

OpIndia Staff
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Lucknow: Inquiry into student’s suicide reveals that school manager Arshad Khan was running Madrasa inside premises of CBSE school, foreign funding suspected

In the case of the suicide of a minor boy studying in class 5 at Safa Public School in Malihabad, Lucknow, the District Minority Welfare Department has joined the investigation. According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, a team of officials from the Minority Welfare Department is expected to visit the school for inspection. The manager of the school Arshad Khan was allegedly running a madrasa in the premises of the CBSE-affiliated school.

A complaint was filed by Abdul Kuddus, the elder brother of the victim Altamash. Based on the complaint, a case has been filed by the Malihabad police against the principal of the school Anthony Thomas, manager Abdul Hafiz and others for abutment of suicide.

Initial inquiry reveals foreign funding to madrasa

As per the reports, initial inquiry into the matter revealed that the madrasa has been receiving funds from Gulf countries. A mosque is also found inside the school premises in which namaz is offered five times a day. The school has a hostel which is currently accommodating 43 students. According to locals, two years ago, the school held celebrations on the 14th of August (Independence Day of Pakistan) instead of the 15th of August (Indian Independence Day).

Several students withdrew admission from the school

Many parents protested against the school after the unfortunate incident. Amissions of many students have also withdrawn by their parents from the school. DCP West Vishwajeet Srivastav said that the investigation would proceed based on the postmortem report and the evidence. The police are recording the statements of the people connected with the incident.

Suicide of the student

The victim has been studying in the school for four years and was a hostel boarder. The warden of the hostel said that the victim went to his room in the hostel after dinner around 10:30 pm on Wednesday. The next morning, around 5:30 pm, he was found hanging in the bathroom by a student. The school administration said that the victim was caught smoking with his friends a few days ago and that he was warned that his family would be informed if he was found smoking again. The fear of his family finding out about the smoking incident might have pushed him to take the extreme step.

However, the victim’s elder brother accused the school administration of harassing the victim. He alleged that the victim was brutally beaten with sticks for minor mistakes. He added that the school administration is falsely accusing the victim of smoking to avoid accountability.

Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan allotted broken seat on Air India flight, calls service ‘unethical’, Airline apologises

ANI
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Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan allotted broken seat on Air India flight, calls service ‘unethical’, Airline apologises

Union Agriculture Minister and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday raised concerns over Air India’s services, questioning the airline’s management over faulty seating arrangements and passenger inconvenience.

In a post on X, Chouhan shared his experience, stating, “Today I had to come from Bhopal to Delhi, inaugurate the Kisan Mela in Pusa, hold a meeting of the Natural Farming Mission in Kurukshetra and discuss with the representatives of the Kisan Organisation in Chandigarh. I had booked a ticket on Air India flight number AI436, I was allotted seat number 8C. I went and sat on the seat, the seat was broken and sunken in. It was uncomfortable to sit.”

Highlighting his conversation with the airline staff, he added, “When I asked the airline staff why the seat was allotted to me if it was bad, they told me that the management had been informed earlier that this seat was not good and its ticket should not be sold. There is not just one seat but many more. My co-passengers requested me to change my seat and sit on a better seat but why should I trouble another friend for my sake, I decided that I would complete my journey by sitting on this same seat.” 

In the post, he further questioned Air India’s services, writing, “My impression was that Air India’s service would have improved after Tata took over the management, but it turned out to be my misconception. I don’t care about sitting discomfort, but it is unethical to make passengers sit on bad and uncomfortable seats after charging them the full amount. Isn’t this cheating the passengers?” 

Urging corrective action, he remarked, “Will the Air India management take steps to ensure that no passenger faces such inconvenience in future, or will it continue to take advantage of the passengers’ compulsion to reach their destination early?”

In its reply to the Minister Air India posted an apology on X saying, “Dear Sir, we apologize for the inconvenience caused. Please be rest assured that we are looking into this matter carefully to prevent any such occurrences in the future. We would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, kindly DM us a convenient time to connect.”

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

President Donald Trump to inspect the Fort Knox to make sure that America’s 400 tons of gold reserve is there

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President Donald Trump to inspect the Fort Knox to make sure that America’s 400 tons of gold reserve is there

US President Donald Trump said on Friday (local time) that he is going to inspect Fort Knox to make sure that the 400 tonnes of gold is there.

As per the NY Post, citing US officials, it noted that the famed Fort Knox Bullion Depository’s vaults in north-central Kentucky is a home to 147.3 million ounces of gold — more than half of the Treasury Department’s gold reserves, according to officials.

NY Post further added that if the accounting is correct, the repository should have the equivalent of nearly 3,70,000 standard-sized gold bars.

Notably, Fort Knox has held much of America’s gold reserves since 1937 thereby becomes an important location for the US.

Delivering the remarks while addressing the Republican Governors Association (RGA) meeting on Friday (local time), Trump said, “I’m going to do something… All my life I’ve heard about Fort Knox. That’s where the gold is kept, right? We’re getting the yips on this stuff. I want to find out. So we’re going to open up the doors. I’m going to see if we have gold there. We want to find out. Did anybody steal the gold in Fort Knox? It’s a pretty amazing place. But I’m going to actually go. We’re going to open the doors. We’re going to inspect Fort Knox. We want to make sure that we actually have, you know, 400 tons of gold or whatever the hell it is. It’s a lot of gold.”

Earlier on Wednesday Trump said that he and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would find out if Fort Knox’s famous gold bars have gone missing as they continue an ongoing review of federal assets and spending.

The remarks by the US President comes after Rand Paul, Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs wrote a letter on February 19 to Secretary of Treasury, Bessent, wherein he enquired about the United States Mint and the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

In his letter he said, “According to the Department, Fort Knox holds 147.3 million ounces of gold.’ Despite holding over half of total U.S. gold reserves, Fort Knox has not been subject to a formal audit since 1974.3 Prior to a visit by Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and others in 2017, forty-two years had elapsed since a civilian was allowed to enter and view the gold vault. While the 2017 visit was a good first step, the Mint must commit itself to be subject to regular oversight procedures.”

In his letter he requested for an audit of Fort Knox along with giving a call for testing the gold held there.

“As one of Kentucky’s U.S. Senators and Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is responsible for oversight of all taxpayer-funded operations, including the Mint and the Depository, I request an audit of the Mint’s holdings, including testing of the gold. I further ask for in-person inspection of the entire Depository and other holdings to be conducted by my staff and me. Please coordinate with my office to arrange for such in-person inspection as soon as possible but no later than March 19, 2025,” he said.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

NGOs using foreign funding for religious conversions in Chhattisgarh: CM Vishnu Deo Sai says strict action will be taken against them

OpIndia Staff
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NGOs using foreign funding for religious conversions in Chhattisgarh: CM Vishnu Deo Sai says strict action will be taken against them

Tightening the noose around NGOs involved in conversions, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday said that stringent action will be taken against the NGOs that are using foreign funding for religious conversions. He said that the state government received inputs regarding some NGOs receiving foreign funding in the name of health and education projects and misusing it for religious conversion in certain parts of the state.

CM Deo terms forced religious conversions as immoral

Addressing the media, CM Sai said that the state government would not tolerate forced religious conversions. “We respect all religions and the right of people to practice them, but attempts to create unrest in society through forced conversions will not be tolerated, ” he said. He announced that an investigation would be carried out in coordination with the central agencies to trace the exact source of such foreign funding.

“Such matters should be investigated in-depth to ensure that the fund being given to these NGOs is being used properly for the actual purpose. I have asked officials to thoroughly scrutinise and inspect the activities of NGOs that receive foreign funds and ensure that the money is used for appropriate purposes,” said Sai. The Chief Minister described the religious conversions carried out by luring illiterate and poor people as ‘immoral’. “It is immoral to encourage people to change their faith or religion through allurements and by taking advantage of their illiteracy and poverty, “he added.

The state government might introduce a law against forced conversions

According to reports, the Chhattisgarh government is planning to introduce legislation in the upcoming budget session to put a stop to forced religious conversions. Several FIRs have reportedly been lodged across various police stations in the state over the last 11 months reporting incidents of religious conversions.

Punjab: Minister in AAP government was heading a department for 20 months that didn’t exist

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Minister in AAP government was heading a department for 20 months that didn’t exist

In a shocking development, the AAP govt in Punjab has admitted that one of its senior ministers was heading a department that didn’t even exist. On 21st February, the Government of Punjab stripped senior minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal of the Department of Administrative Reforms portfolio via a gazette notification. Dhaliwal will only hold the NRI Affairs ministry from now on. Interestingly, the notification states that the Department of Administrative Reforms only existed on paper, with no meetings held or work done under the ministry for the past two years.

The notification read, “In partial modification of Punjab Government Notification No. 2/1/2022-2Cabinet/2230 dated 23.09.2024, regarding allocation of portfolios amongst the Ministers, the Department of Administrative Reforms earlier allotted to Shri Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Cabinet Minister, is not in existence as on date.” The amendment in the portfolio came into effect from 7th February 2025.

Source: Punjab Government

According to officials, the said department was already “redundant” as there were no officers in charge, and it existed only on paper. Notably, during the May 2023 reshuffle of the ministries, Dhaliwal was stripped of two key portfolios—agriculture and rural development and panchayats. He was given the administrative reforms department, which was earlier held by Inderbir Singh Nijjar.

The Times of India quoted an unnamed official saying, “There have been no meetings or any programmes related to the administrative reforms department. There is the Department of Good Governance and Information Technology that is looking into ways to improve efficiency by enhancing internal governance through the use of IT tools. At the same time, there has been talk of better service delivery by the bureaucracy, for which the Department of Administrative Reforms could have been instrumental.”

21 officers shuffled across the state

The change in Dhaliwal’s portfolio came into effect amidst major changes in the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in Punjab. Reportedly, 21 IPS officers have been transferred with immediate effect, including the shuffling of police chiefs in many districts.

The major changes in the administrative structure came days after AAP’s humiliating defeat in the Delhi Assembly Elections. Since the defeat, Punjab AAP leaders have met AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal at his residence in Delhi.

Furthermore, there were speculations that Kejriwal might move to Punjab to take over the Chief Ministership, but it turned out to be merely a rumour, which Bhagwant Mann categorically refuted.

AAP leader Manish Sisodia, often deemed the “education reformist” of Delhi by AAP leadership, went on a trip to Punjab, which has been seen as “interference” by the Delhi leadership, according to teachers’ union.

It appears that a power struggle is emerging between AAP’s Delhi and Punjab leaders, as several Delhi leaders now have “no work” after the Assembly elections defeat.

What is my role in Congress: A disillusioned Shashi Tharoor wonders after meeting Rahul Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
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What is my role in Congress: A disillusioned Shashi Tharoor wonders after meeting Rahul Gandhi

Trouble seems to be brewing within the Congress party, as senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over his role in the party. As per reports, the Thiruvananthapuram MP met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi a couple of days ago to express discontent over being sidelined in the party and not being given opportunities to participate in major debates inside the Parliament. However, Tharoor was left disgruntled after Gandhi failed to address his concerns.

Shashi Tharoor dissatisfied over removal from AIPC

According to a report in Times of India, Shashi Tharoor told Rahul Gandhi during their meeting that he was capable of representing Congress’ stance inside the Parliament. Tharoor was seeking direction from the party leadership on whether he should focus on state politics or if the party wanted to give him some other responsibility. Media reports are also saying that Tharoor wanted to know if the All India Congress Committee (AICC) planned to propose his name as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate in Kerala. Tharoor’s dissatisfaction also arises from his removal from the charge of the All India Professional Congress (AIPC), a body which he had established.

Congress unhappy with Tharoor’s praise of PM Modi

The Congress leadership is reportedly disappointed with Tharoor since he praised Prime Minister Modi’s US visit deviating from the party’s official stance. “I think that’s a very good outcome because otherwise, the fear was that there might be some hasty decisions made in Washington which would have affected our exports. This way, there is time to discuss and negotiate,” Tharoor said regarding PM Modi’s meeting with Trump.

Clarifying his position, Tharoor later said he could not always speak in terms of party interest. “We can’t always speak only in terms of party interest. I am not a party spokesperson, I am an MP elected by the people of Thiruvananthapuram and on that basis, I speak as an important stakeholder in Indian democracy,” said Tharoor.

In addition to that, Tharoor wrote an article praising the CPI(M) government in the state for transforming the state into ”a model of economic innovation and sustainable growth”. The article was used by the CPI(M) as a certificate of good work of the government. This did not go down well with the Congress as the party is trying to fight the state government ahead of local body elections to take place later this year. However, Tharoor stood his ground and said that his article was based on facts and data and that he was ready to change his stand if he was shown contrary facts or data.

Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh shares AI generated satire video to defame India, later deletes post

OpIndia Staff
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Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh shares AI generated satire video to defame India, later deletes post

On 22nd February, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh quoted a video claiming that the United States has banned American companies from hiring Indian customer care services representatives. In the video, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, was seen using “derogatory” language against the people of India. Singh later deleted the post as the video he quoted was an Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated satire.

Now-deleted post of Digvijay Singh. Source: X

In his now-deleted post, Digvijaya Singh wrote, “Hon Shri Narendra Modi ji, our Prime Minister, just see what your dear friend Donald Trump thinks of India and Indians. Would you please react? If you can’t, shouldn’t your Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar, protest what POTUS calls India ‘the most poisonous country in the world!'”.

Singh also tagged Congress, Rahul Gandhi, Supriya Shrinate and Pawan Khera in the post. The video, which was shared by an X user, Nasreem Ebrahim, was a fake satire video created using AI and not a real news report by Sobering Satire. While Digvijaya Singh has deleted the post, Ebrahim’s post was still there by the time this report was published.

As clearly seen in the video, the channel name written on the bottom left is “Faux News” and in the centre of the strip, it reads “Sobering Satire”. For those who are unaware, Sobering Satire is a YouTube channel that posts fake or satirical news reports. It is similar to Fauxy News, which is a satirical news channel from India.

When OpIndia checked the actual video posted by Sobering Satire, its caption read, “Trump impression & Performance by Clive. AI did NOT Write, Speak or Perform this video. It only masked Clive’s face/performance.” The voice behind the video is of an artist named Michael Clive, who has worked as a voice-over artist for over 35 years. He has provided his services for shows including The Simpsons and many others.

Description of the original video posted by Sobering Satire on YouTube. Source: YouTube

Reacting to the post, X user Manish Rajora wrote, “This is the level of intelligence of principal opposition Congress’s main leaders, no surprise why they are still in opposition. India deserves better opposition!”

Source: X

X user Ankur Singh wrote, “Congress has now started using Fake Videos made by AI to defame India. Just because this India doesn’t vote for Rahul Gandhi? Shame!”

Source: X

Another X user Dr Amit Sarwal wrote, “Digi sharing fake video … not surprised though by his iq.”

Source: X

According to The Daily Guardian, the video was created using a video from a press conference dated 10th January 2025. Though Digvijaya Singh deleted the post, he did not post any explanation or an apology for using a fake video to defame India.

Trump reiterates US funding of $21 million for voter turnout in India, makes Indian Express ‘fact-check’ look even more foolish

OpIndia Staff
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Trump reiterates US funding of $21 million for voter turnout in India, makes Indian Express ‘fact-check’ look even more foolish

On Friday (21st February), President Donald Trump reiterated that the United States was funding projects to the tune of $21 million (~182 crores) to ‘strengthen voter turnout in India.’

While interacting with Governors at the White House, he stated, “…21 million dollars going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout. We are giving 21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us? I want voter turnout too, Governor.”

Donald Trump further highlighted how US agencies were channelling $29 million to Bangladesh. “29 million dollars to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh. Went to a firm that nobody ever heard of. Got $29 million.”

The incumbent US President pointed out, “They got a check. Can you imagine you have a little firm and you get $10,000 here and there. And then you get $29 million from the United States government. There are two people working in that firm.”

“Two people. I think they are very happy. They’re very rich. They’ll be on the cover of a very good business magazine pretty soon for being great,” he added. The development comes days after the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced that it was saving US taxpayers money by cancelling projects abroad.

On Wednesday (19th February), incumbent US President Donald Trump further confirmed the figures during a speech in Miami.

He had said, “And $21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India turnout? We got enough problems. We want our own turnout, don’t we? Can you imagine all that money going to India?”

Donald Trump added, “I wonder what they think when they get it. Now, it’s a kickback scheme. You know, it’s not like they get it and they spend. They kick it back to the people that sent it. I would say in many cases, anytime you have no idea what we’re talking about, that means there’s a kickback because nobody has any idea what’s going on there.”

“$29 million to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh. Nobody knows what they mean by political landscape,” the US President informed.

The controversial ‘fact-check’ by The Indian Express

On Friday (21st February), The Indian Express published a report titled ‘Team Musk flags, Trump waves, but a fact-check: $21 million did not go to India for ‘voter turnout’, was for Bangladesh.’

The Indian Daily attempted to suggest that US President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and his team of nerds at DOGE all goofed up on numbers and somehow made the Himalayan blunder of mistaking Bangladesh for India.

“That $21 million, records accessed by The Indian Express show, was sanctioned in 2022 for Bangladesh, not India,” the report by The Indian Express alleged.

Screengrab of the report by The Indian Express

The newspaper ironically agreed to the fact that DOGE’s list of cancelled grants included a $29.9-million USAID funding to Bangladesh (which was mentioned both by Donald Trump and the official tweet by DOGE).

Later, it went on to claim that DOGE and Trump mistook ‘Bangladesh’ for ‘India’ over the $21 million grant. The Indian Express claimed that the funds for ‘voter turnout’ in India were given to Bangladesh about 2.5 years ago.

This confidence with which the Indian daily touted their ‘fact-check’ is astonishing, given that both USAID and CEPPS have shut down their respective websites. At the same time, DOGE has not yet responded to the claims.

Throughout the article, The Indian Express failed to provide any direct evidence that could rule out the fact that no US federal agency projects were meant to ensure ‘voter turnout’ during Indian elections.

“Deeply troubling”, says MEA on US administration’s information on funding in India

ANI
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“Deeply troubling”, says MEA on US administration’s information on funding in India

India on Friday said that the United States’ administration’s information regarding funding in India is “deeply troubling” and has led to concerns regarding foreign interference in India’s internal affairs.

Addressing a weekly press briefing on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that relevant departments and agencies are looking into the matter and it would be premature to make a public comment at this stage.

Asked about President Donald Trump’s remarks about the funding of USD 21 million for “voter turnout in India”, Jaiswal said, “We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain US activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling. This has led to concerns about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs. Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter.”

“It would be premature to make a public comment at this stage. So, relevant authorities are looking into, and hopefully we can come up with an update on that subsequently,” the MEA spokesperson said.

Addressing the FII PRIORITY Summit in Miami, Florida on Thursday, Trump questioned the United States’ allocation of USD 21 million for voter turnout efforts in India, comparing it to concerns over foreign interference in American elections while addressing
Highlighting the disparity in reactions, he stated, “21 million dollars in voter turnout – why do we need to spend 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian Government… Because when we hear that Russia spent about two thousand dollars in our country, it was a big deal. They took some internet ads for two thousand dollars. This is a total breakthrough.”

Trump further pointed out India’s strong economic position and high tariffs on US goods, stating, “They got a lot of money. They’re one of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us. We can hardly get in there because their tariffs are so high.”

While maintaining his respect for India and its Prime Minister, Trump questioned the necessity of spending millions on voter turnout in a foreign country, adding, “I have a lot of respect for India. I have a lot of respect for the prime minister. He just left, as you know, two days ago. But we’re giving USD 21 million for voter turnout. It’s voter turnout in India. What about, like, voter turnout here? Oh, we’ve done that, I guess. We did USD 500 million, didn’t we? It’s called the lockboxes.”

This comes after US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) posted a list of cancelled US taxpayer-funded initiatives with a mention of USD 21 million earmarked for “voter turnout in India.”

The DOGE-headed by Elon Musk, announced cancelling a USD 22 million funding intended for “voter turnout in India” on February 16. In a post on X, DOGE listed the number of spendings by the US taxpayer that have been cancelled, including “USD 21M for voter turnout in India.”

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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